Combined folding step, platform, and skirt arrangement



Dm 31, 1940. w. M. HAEssLER 2,225,717

COMBINED FOLDING STEP, PLATFORM, "AND SKIRT AHRANGEMENT Filed June 3, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet l lll/IA NVENTOR l h/er/ Haessler il, A d

ATTORNEY Dec- 312, 1940 w. M. HAEssLER 2,226,717

COME-INED FOLDING STEP, PLATFORM, AND SKIRT ARRANGEMENT Z INVENTOR Wager /`7. Haess Zer ATTORNEYA Dec. 31, 1940. w..M. HAEssLER COMBINED FOLDING STEP, PLATFORM, AND SKIRT ARRANGEMENT Filed June 5, i958 e sheets-sheet s Ser Mil.'

ATTORNEY W. M. HAESSLER Decf 31, '1940.

COMBINED FLDING STEP, PLATFORM, AND SKIRT ARHANGEMENT Filed June s, lase v s sheets-sheet 4 lNVENTOR Waker/7 /L/aessier ATTORNEY 2,226,717 COMBINED FOLDING STEP, PLATFORM, AND SKIRT ARRANGEMENT Dec. 31, 1940. w. M. HAEvsLER Filed June 3, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l fessier Dec. 3l, 1940. W M- HAESSLER 2,226,717

COMBN'ED FOLDING STEP, PLATFORM, `AND SKIRT ARRANGEMENT Filed June 3. 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 292269717 UNiiED STATES orties' COMBINED FOLDING s'riir, PLAtrroaM, AND

sniit'r ARRANGEMENT Walter M. Haessler, Berwick, Pa., assigner to AAmerican Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., al corporation of New Jersey Application June 3, 1938, Serial No. 211,676 12 Claims. (Cl. 105-447) This invention relates to folding steps and broken away t more Clearly ShOW the Connecplatforms in general and in particular to contion of parts;

structions for use on railway vehicles in which Fig. l3 is an enlarged `sectional view of the the folding steps, platform and skirting are comcombined unit inthe raised position with the 5 bned in a singleiunit. step treads forming the platform; i .5

In the past vehicles have been constructed in Fig. 4 iS a plan View 0f the mechanism 0f Fg- 3 which the steps were rigid and covered by a With Darts bl'pken aWaY 11011101@ Clearly disclose separate platform located thereabove, thus leavthe CODSUUCUOH? ing the outer portion of the Steps Open other' Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1', but showing 'a constructions have been made in which the steps Slightly nfloded f ol'm Pf a1`1 "a1'}gement 10 were rigidly attached to a section of skirting and Flg; 6, 1S a Paltlal VleW Slmllar t0 'lg- 2 but the entire assembly pivoted to the car structure ShOYVmg-the modled'consfuctw'l' 0f Eug- 5? in such a way thatrwhen the steps were inopera- Flg 7 ,1S .an enlaed Sectlonalylew ShQYVmg the tive the skirting was substantially in alignment Contruclon of E@ 5 nfl the ra 1sed P05930, and

l5 with the tar side and the space occupied by the F1a 3 1S a Sectional vlew sinnlarto Figs. i and 15 steps was covered by a trap door in most cases 5 but Showmg a Shght modlcamon apphcable independent of the steps. In either case the to either form' Steps projected downwardly from the Car body Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will increasing the air resistance beneath the car and be seen that the .construction hasrbeen Shown causing considerable trouble in design due to as apphed to a rallway Vehlcle having the more 2O clearances It is an Object therefore of the o1' less conventional center sill structurel `carrying a oor 4 thereabove anda side wall-strucisis estrategias tripartita: i from a 1 eliminating one element of the old constructions to mlmmzed resistance 'of the'vehlcle' In and which unit may be readily controlled from order to provide for entr-ance and eiit of pas' 25 the vehicle vestibule sengers from the'vehicle an opening 1s provided A f th b. t f th t. th in the floor'and'transverseplates 8 applied to ur er o Jee. o e mven lon 1S pro. the car structure therein to form the more or n.slon of a* combmed, tra? door and step ,umt' less conventional'passageway,the upper portion with an attached folding sk1rt acting to continue f which 'will be Close-d by a Side door lo Open 30 the, Car contour across the Step Opening area" ing inwardly above the level of the car floor. As which unitis so arranged. that the Step treads clearly shownthe transversey plates are extended remain horizontal at all times with theV excepbelow H001. revel' and if desired may be p10 tion, 0f ih e lower tread Which iS Carried by the 'videdwith lights H to iiiuminate the steps later foldmg sklrtto be described. The customary grab irons |2v35 A Yet fur-ther Oblect 0f the mventlon 1S the may be applied to either side of the opening but provision of a combined trap door and step unit are; of course, not necessary to the proper funcwhich is positively supported in either raised or tion of the present invention lowered position andr can be readily controlled 1 The Combination folding Step and platform by authorized Pel'SOnS- unit with attached folding skirt is secured to the 40 A still further object of the'invention is the oar Structure in the floor opening and as will provision Yof a combined trap door and Step unit laterne obvious forms a flight of steps in one so constructed as to materially reduce air reposition with the passageway'open and in the sistance and in which all parts are so positioned other position forms the platform with the pasas to permit use of practically any desired censageway closed. The steps may be made in any 45 ter sill and draft gear arrangement. desired number and each is formed of a at These and other objects of the invention will tread surface I4 suitably stifened by angle or be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a other formed stiieners I5 extending longitudistudy of the following description and accomnally thereof and by downwardly directed end -0 panying drawings, in which: Iianges I6. The topv and intermediate steps 50 Figure l is a sectional view taken through the have hinged to their outer edges as at I1 along step opening and showing the combined folding the entire-extent thereof a flap or riser I8 with step and platform unit in a lowered position; the hinges preferably being of the so-called piano Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembly shown type. The rear edge of each tread surface is in Figure 1 with portions of the car structure pressed to provide a substantially U.shaped 55 `75 the transverse passageway plates.

pocket in which a rubber or other sealing element I9 may be secured for the purpose of sealing the joints between the respective tread surfaces when these tread surfaces are functioning as a platform. 'I'he lower edge of these flaps or risers is pivoted as at 2U to a riser control bar 2|, the upper end of which is also pivoted to the lower edge of a vehicle carried riser 22, the upper edge of which is pivoted as at 23 to the car structure adjacent the oor level and constantly urged outwardly by means of torsion springs 24. The lowermost riser is of slightly differing form than those previously described in that the central portion 26 (Fig. 2) is rigid with the lower folding step and is provided at its lower edge with a piano type hinge 21 to which the folding skirt and lower tread element is pivoted. The end portions of this lower riser are formed similar to risers I8, that is, with short flaps or auxiliary risers 28 pivoted to the lower step and to the lower end of the riser control bar as at 29. In order to carry and control the movements of the folding steps side control bars 3| are provided pivoted as at 32 to the end flanges I6 of the step members and at their upper ends are pivoted as at 33 to a bracket 34 rigidly connected to the center sill structure and to a T or other stifl'ening element 36 bracing the car floor adjacent its free edge (Figs. 1 and 4). These side control bars not only assist in controlling the movements of the steps but also are so .chosen as to form an end guard for the steps when in lowered position and a sealing element Hush with the car oor and platform when the steps are in the raised position. The side control bars have certain portions thereof offset outwardly -as at 30 in order to clear the pivotal connections between the riser control bar and its pivotal connection to the risers as clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Intermediate control bars 31 are provided which are pivoted at their upper ends as at 38 to a bracket 39 rigidly carried by the center sill or other car structure. The intermediate and lower portions of these control bars are pivotally connected as at 4| to bracket members 42 rigidly secured to the steps and their bracing means. It is thus seen that a parallelo'gram has been formed with the side control bars 3| and intermediate control bars 31 forming the long sides of the par- 'allelogram, while the short sides are formed by the rigid spacing of pivots 33 and 38 and 32 and 4| therebv insuring that the tread surfaces of eachstep will remain substantially horizontal during the raising and lowering thereof. It is desirable that the pivots 32 extend beneath the steps and connect the anges I6 as shown, thus rigidifying and strengthening the structure and -at least one of these pivots is tubular and has a rod or tube 43 extending outwardly beyond the side control bars in order to rigidly carry thereon lifting and locking bellcranks 44 which are provided on one end with rollers 46 adapted to ride along a trackway 41 secured to the extensions of the transverse passageway plates. These trackways are preferably formed of angle members having one flange directed outwardly from the transverse wall plates for cooperation with the rollers just mentioned and are so bent as to provide a lower pocket 48 and an upper pocket or recess 49. The end of the bellcrank opposite the roller is connected preferably by a steel cable passing over pulley wheel 52 and anchoredkon a rotatable-drum 53 carried upon The rotatable drum s controllable by a hand wheel 54 accessible from the passageway with the reverse rotation controlled byratchet 56 adapted to be engaged by ratchet dog 51 spring urged into contact with the ratchet and releasable by a pull cable 58, the handle of which is accessible from a door 59 kept locked against opening by unauthorized persons. It is obvious from a description of the mechanism and the showing of Figure 1 that tension applied to the cable will cause a lifting of the bellc'rank with the rollers 46 urged tightly against the trackway 41 and as soon as the unit has reached its upper position the tension of the cable will snap the rollers into the pocket 49. In order to release the steps a lock releasing mechanism is provided which in the present instance consists of a plunger 6| slidably mounted in a bracket 62 and pivotally connected to one end of a bellcrank 63 pivotally carried by the car structure with the opposite end connected to a foot treadle plunger 64 extending upwardly into the vehicle passageway. Due to the rigid mounting of thelbellcranks 44 upon the pivot rod 32 a single lockI release plunger is sufficient since both bellcranks44 at either end of the steps must operate in unison. The lock release plunger is maintained in a retracted position by means `of tension spring 66 while the steps are preferably `counterbalanced by torsion springs 61 surrounding the pivot rods 33 and reacting against the T floor stifl'enerr and a shoulder 68y attached to the -sidemcontrol bars 3| (Figs. 2 and 4).

In order to close the opening in the side wall structure at the passageway a movable skirt member is pivoted as previously mentioned at the lower edge of the lower riser 26 and this skirt member is shaped to conform with the rigid skirting carried on the vehicle when in closed position. The skirt member is provided on its upper inner surface between its upper edge and the pivot 21 with a plate 1| which forms the lowermost tread surface ofthe flight of steps and this tread plate has attached thereto adjacent its ends cam plates 12 adapted to contact and control the movements of the auxiliary flaps or risers 28 previously referred to. The skirting member is stiffened by means of angle or other bars 13 with at least certain of these bars having enlargements adjacent their lower ends to form pivot points 14 to pivotally mount one end of skirt control bars 16, the other end of which is pivotally connected as at 11 to the side of the transverse wall plate opposite the step opening.

The operation of this combined step, platform and skirt unit is believed obvious but in order to further clarify the description the operation will now be described. With the steps in the lowered position as shown in Figure 1 turning of the hand wheel 54 will cause cable 5| to lift bellcrank 44 forcing roller 46 into engagement with trackway 41 along which it will roll until such time as it snaps into supporting pocket 49. In this positionv the step tread surfaces will form the platform as clearly shown in4 Fig. 3 and it is impossible for the saine to collapse due to the fact that the ratchet 56 locks the drum and the bellcranks 44 are resting in the supporting pockets 49 of the trackway. During the raising of the step unit under control ofthe cable the side and intermediate control bars 3| and 31 respectively will swing about their pivots 33 and 3B respectively and, since the steps are pivotally connected to these bars and the distance be- Atal at all times.

vvided with a hook |01 adapted to engage a protween the pivots cannot change, the tread surfaces Will be maintained substantially horizon- As soon as the step unit starts upwardly the skirt control bars 16 will act to force the skirt member 10 to rotate about the piano hinge 21 causing the cam plates 12 to move the auxiliary lower aps or risers 28 inwardly. The inward movement of these auxiliary flaps or risers causes through the riser control bar 2| a similar movement of all the risers against the action of the torsion springs 24. The inward movement of these risers permits the step treads to come into their upper position in which position they are located in substantially the same horizontal plane with the sealing elements I9 engaging the adjacent risers and sealing the joints as well as preventing any rattling or vibration thereof. With the steps in the fully raised position in which they form a platform or the equivalent of the present trap door, the skirting member 10 will have assumed its final position in alignment with the vehicle carried skirting and in alignment with the car door |0. It is thus seen that an assembly is provided in which no element projects below the rigid portions of the car during transit, therefore. the question of interference with switches, turnouts, etc. is eliminated. j

Referring now to the modification shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it will be seen that the major portion of this form is substantially identical with the form just described and accordingly like reference numerals have been applied to like parts, namely, the steps, risers, skirting and car structure. In this form the structure has been simplied by connecting reinforcing castings 80 to the steps, which castings `are provided with a lower portion for reception of pivot 8| extending outwardly therefrom to receive the lower step control bars 82, the upper ends of which are pivoted as at 83 to a car carried bracket 84 rigidly secured to the center sill or similar structure. This bracket is provided with an upper extension providing a pivot mounting for a pivot rod 88 which rigidly carries upper step control bar 81 which has extensions 88 formed thereon to be pivotally connected as at 89 to intermediate portions of the castings 80 previously referred to, thus again it is seen that a parallelogram device has been provided which will insure the maintenance of the step treads in a horizontal position. In this form the risers are maintained in their proper position against the cam plates I2` by means of torsion springs 9| interposed between the auxiliary flaps and the adjacent tread surface of the lower step. In order to lift and control the movements of the step and skirt unit an arm 92 is rigidly connected to the pivot shaft 88 and this arm is in turn pivotally connectedito a bar 93 having the upper end threaded for raising or lowering under control of bevel gearing 94 operable through hand wheel 96. The pitch of the screw threads on the rod is preferably such as to be non-reversible, but in order to insure positive retention of the steps in their raised position the locking device is provided. The locking device consists of a rod 91 operable from the passageway by knob 98 and has its lower end pivotally connected to one arm of a bellcrank 99 pivotally carried as at |00 upon the car structure. The other arm of the bellcrank is pivotally connected as at |0| to one end of a pull rod |02, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a latch |03 urged toward latching position by a tension spring |06. The lower end of the latch is prosageway plates, which bar will engage the lower and upper step control bars to limit the downward swinging movement thereof.

In order to operate this modification the latch 4will first be released by lifting the knob 98 disengaging the latch from the projection |08, after which a turning of the hand wheel will cause the combined step and skirting arrangement to be lowered under positive control of the hand wheel from the position shown in Fig. '1 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Reversal of the operation' of the hand wheel will cause lifting of the step and skirt unit until such time as the latch automatically engages the projection and the steps are held rigidly in their raised position.

In the slight modification shown by Fig. 8 a folding hand rail has been provided by securing a post ||2 rigidly to one end of one of the step units with its upper end pivotally connected as at H4 to an upper rail ||5 which in turn is pivotally secured as at ||6 to the car structure. With this added feature a hand rail is provided which will raise and lower with the step unit and it is obvious that although it has been shown as applied to the form of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it is equally applicable to the form shown in Figs. 5 to '1 inclusive.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that various modications other than those shown and various rearrangements of parts will be apparent to persons skilled in the art and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a oor positioned above the lower edge of the side wall, an opening in the side wall and oor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a door closing the entire side wall opening above the floor level, a skirt portion normally closing the side wall opening below the floor level and forming a continua-tion of the side wall across the opening, a combined step and platform unit carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit being movable from one position in which it forms `a platform closing the floor opening to another position in which it clears the opening and forms a flight of steps, said skirt portion being pivotally connected to said unit and movable therewith to open and close the entire side wall opening below the floor level and to form the lowermost tread surface of the ight of steps, means controlling the movements of said unit, and additional means independent of said means and pivotally connecting said vehicle vand skirt portion together for positively controlling the movements of said skirt portion.

2. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a oor, an opening in the side wall and floor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform and step unit carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either steptreads in the passageway or a platform closing the iioor opening, means connecting said plates to move the same to said positions, a plurality of additional plates pivotally secured to said rst named plates and movable to positions forming step risers, and control means for said additional plates, said control means including resilient means urging the additional plates into step riser forming position.

`3. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a floor, an opening in the side wall and floor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform and step unit carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of horizontally disposed plates movable to lowered or raised positions in which they form respectively either step treads in the passageway or a platform closing the flooropening, a plurality of control bars connected to said plates to move the same to said positions and maintain the plates in the horizontal disposition at all times, means connecting certain of said control bars together, lock means carried by said means, and operating means connected to said lock means for raising and lowering the unit, said lock means being automatically operable after the unit is raised to retain the same in platform forming position.

4. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a floor, an opening in the side wall and floor providing a passageway giving access to the .body interior, a combined platform and step unit movably carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either step treads in the passageway or a platform closing the floor opening, additional plates pivoted to said first mentioned plates and movable relative thereto to form risers when the unit is instep forming position, control bars connected to said first named plates to maintain the same in a horizontal position at all times, and additional control bars independently movable relative to said control bars and connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof.

5. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a floor, an opening in the side wall and floor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform. and step unit movably carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either step treads in the passageway or a platform closing the floor opening, additional plates pivoted to said rst mentioned plates and movable to form risers when the unit is in step forming position, control bars connected to said first named plates to maintain the same in a horizontal position at all times, additional control bars connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, and means controlling the movements of said additional control bars during movement of the said unit.

6. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a floor, an opening in the side wall and oor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform and step unit movably carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either step treads in the passageway or a platform closing the floor opening, additional plates pivoted. to saidv rst mentioned plates andv movable to form risers when the unit is in step forming position, control bars connected to said rst named plates to maintain the same in a horizontal position at all times, additional control bars connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, and means controlling the movements of said additional control bars during movement of the said unit, said means consisting of a skirt portion pivotally connected to the said unit and vehicle and normally closing the lower portion of the side wall opening.

'7. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a iloor, an opening in the side wall and oor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform and step unit movably carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either step treadsin the passageway or a platform closing the floor opening, control members pivotally connected to said plates and vehicle to maintain the plates in a horizontal position'at all times, operating means connected to said control members to move the same, and lock means to retain said unit in platform forming position, said lock means being directly connected to said operating means and automatically operable after raising of the unit to retain the unitin platform forming position.

8. In a vehicle, a vehicle body having a side wall and a floor, an opening in the side wall and floor providing a passageway giving access to the body interior, a combined platform and step unit movably carried by the vehicle adjacent the floor opening, said unit comprising a plurality of plates movable to positions in which they form either step treads in the passageway or a platform closing the floor opening, additional plates pivoted to said rst mentioned plates and movable to form risers when the unit isin step forming position, control bars connected to said first named plates to maintain the same in a horizontal position at all times,

`additional control bars connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, means controlling the movement of said additional control bars during movement of the said unit, said means consisting of a skirt portion pivotally connected to said unit and vehicle and normally closing the lower portion of the side wall opening, and lock means engageable with a portion of said last named means to retain said unit in platform forming position.

9. A combined vehicle platform and step unit comprising, a plurality of nat plates, bracing means secured to said plates, a pair of control bars pivoted to said bracing means and vehicle at spaced points and forming a parallel motion device, a plurality of additional plates pivotally secured to said flat plates at the outer edges thereof, additional control bars independently movable relative to said control bars and pivotally connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, and operating means connected to the unit to raise and lower the same to form either a vehicle platform or a ilight of steps, said additional plates forming step risers when the unit is lowered and being disposed beneath said flat plates when the unit is raised.

10. A combined vehicle platform and step unit comprising, a plurality of nat plates, bracing means secured to said plates, a pair of control bars pivoted to said bracing means and vehicle at spaced points and forming a parallel motion device, a plurality of additional plates pivotally secured to said at plates at the outer edges thereof, additional control bars pivotally connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, operating means connected to the unit to raise and lower the same to form either a vehicle platform or a iiight of steps, and control means carried at least in part by the unit for eiecting movement of said additional plates relative to said flat plates during raising and lowering of the unit whereby said additional plates will form step risers when the unit is in lowered position.

11. A combined vehicle platform and step unit comprising, a plurality of flat plates, bracing means secured to said plates, a pair of control bars pivoted to said bracing means and vehicle at spaced points and forming a parallel motion device, a plurality of additional plates pivotally secured to said fiat plates and capable of forming steprisers, additional control bars pivotally connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, operating means connected to the unit to raise and lower the sam'e to form respectively either a vehicle platform or a flight of steps, said additional plates forming step risers when the unit is lowered, and resilient means urging said additonal plates into the step riser forming position.

12. A combined vehicle platform and step unit comprising, a plurality of iiat plates, a pair of control bars pivotally connected to said i'lat plates and vehicle at spaced points and forming a parallel motion device, a plurality of additional plates pivotally secured to said at plates and capable of forming step risers, additional control bars pivotally connected to said additional plates to control the movements thereof, operating means connected to the unit to raise and lower the same to form respectively either a vehicle platform or a iiight of steps, vand control means carried at least in part by the unit for effecting movement of said additional plates relative to said at plates during raising and lowering of the unit whereby said additional plates will form step risers when the unit is in lowered position, said control means including resilient means urging the additional plates into the step riser forming position when the unit is in lowered position.

WALTER M. HAESSLER. 

